Monthly CIMA report (July 2026) on illicit trade in Latin America. It analyzes the growing sophistication of criminal networks, smuggling of medical supplies, livestock, and luxury goods, alongside vulnerabilities in free trade zones. Highlights major operational events in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and Argentina, as well as strategic progress by DIAN, inter-institutional training in Guatemala, and public health interventions.

Health alerts issued in Colombia and Mexico reveal how contamination, counterfeiting, smuggling, and illicit trade are converging in the infant formula market. This analysis examines the implications for public health, supply chain security, corporate reputation, and regulatory compliance, highlighting the growing risks facing the infant nutrition industry across Latin America.

CIMA’s May monthly report examines the evolution of illicit trade across Latin America, highlighting corruption linked to smuggling networks, money laundering schemes involving seemingly legitimate businesses, and the growing illegal trade in pharmaceutical products. The report also reviews key regional trends, identified trafficking routes, and the most significant operational events recorded during the month.

The illegal auto parts market in Colombia has become a major threat to the automotive industry, driven by smuggling, counterfeiting, and gray-market distribution channels. With losses exceeding USD 1.2 billion and a growing volume of counterfeit components circulating through both physical and digital marketplaces, the phenomenon creates significant economic, legal, and road safety risks for importers, distributors, workshops, and consumers.

Analysis of Colombia’s Customs Sanctions Regime bill, its relevance in addressing smuggling as a structural phenomenon, and its impact on fair competition, legal certainty, and the modernisation of foreign trade.

What began as a 30% "security tax" on Colombian products escalated to 100% in just two months, collapsing formal trade on the Colombia-Ecuador border while smuggling surged by up to 70%. An analysis of the paradox: measures designed to combat organized crime that end up strengthening it.